Contributor 
As cannabis approaches mainstream recreational adoption in North America, it is easy to think the plant’s use as a source of pleasure and relaxation is a recent occurrence. In fact, Cannabis sativa (marijuana) has a long medicinal, recreational and spiritual history. More than 4,500 years ago, Chinese Emperor Shen Nung (or Shennong) became the first … Read more
Native Americans are not shy about exploiting their special status within the United States. Tribal sovereignty is the inherent authority of indigenous tribes to govern themselves within the borders of the U.S. One example is Chenega Corp., an Alaska Native Corporation. Its IT subsidiary, Chenega Technology Services Corp. of Anchorage, Alaska, recently received a $500 … Read more
What could be more pleasing than sun-grown cannabis from small farmers operating as a kind of cooperative in the special micro-climates found in Mendocino County, California? How about small batches, boutique strains and instant delivery in San Francisco? This is the backdrop to a startup, Flow Kana, that bills itself as the first to encompass … Read more
The current state of the research on marijuana and its constituent cannabinoids suggests the potential for therapeutic value for a number of conditions. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports efforts to find potential therapeutic value of cannabinoids for a variety of conditions and symptoms. These three studies have suggested potentially valuable therapeutic effects … Read more
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board established a requirement to place the “Not for Kids” warning symbol on all marijuana edible products (marijuana infused products meant to be eaten or swallowed). The new requirement will be effective on February 14, 2017. What do the rules require? Marijuana edible products must have the “Not for … Read more
Through a twist of fate, Snoop Dogg (the “King of Kush”) and Martha Stewart (the “Queen of Cuisine”) are now both Emmy nominees for a VH1 production of “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party.” The program has been nominated under the category of “Host for a Reality/Reality-Competition Program.” The pair, who recently wrapped up the … Read more
Some form of legalized marijuana exist in twenty-six states and the District of Columbia. Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational use of cannabis California’s Prop. 64 measure allows adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes. Other … Read more
The drive towards legalizing marijuana in the U.S. has overshadowed the prevalence of cannibis use in Europe. The reality is that Europeans are smoking a lot. In some European countries, use prevalence among all adults in surveys of the general popoulation exceeds 30%. All the data comes from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and … Read more
Cannabis’ medicinal qualities were exploited before the Christian era in Asia, mainly in India. In most ancient cultures, “getting high” was not the main use for the plant. Hemp fiber was valued for making clothes and other textiles, and its seeds were used for food and oil. The types of plant used for these purposes … Read more